Guest Experiences

[uncdrew]

My Rules for Guesting:
1. Guest player/family does not pay
2. Team provides uniform for guest player
3. Guest player invited to practice in the week leading up to tourney
4. Guest player will bat last in the line-up, each and every game
5. Unless filling a missing position, Guest player will play plenty of innings but probably less than paying players
6. Rules will be shared ahead of time with entire team and guest player/family

That's just how I expect things to work. Whenever someone asks my DD to guest, I ask all these questions. I don't want the other parents mad at me and I want to clearly understand what to expect. I also don't want the other parents mad at the coach. Been there, it sucks for everyone and have long-term repercussions, in some cases.

We'll make our decision to guest or not after you explain to me what your system is. Basically, before you accept ask questions and understand how DD will be used. It may or may not be a good experience if you go in unknown.

 

[Hawk_]

Not a tragic story just very awkward:
DD was asked to pick up on a team and we came to the practice the thursday before the tourney. She hit well in practice and played decent at 1st. We get to the game and she plays out of her mind (Went perfect batting for the weekend, a triple, 3 doubles and a bunch of walks).....After the first game she is batting 4th (i'm just waiting for pissed off parents about this one). Anyways she hits a walk off and I find out that's their first win of the fall. That's when the recruiting started. Coach of the team asking what jersey number she wants, parents doing the same thing to her, while it's flattering and I appreciate them thinking highly of my DD........ I'm the head coach of her team!
I explain that "no we are not interested in leaving the team...... that i run". But it continues the rest of the day Saturday, then first thing in the morning Sunday.
While I love that DD was appreciated and she had a hell of a weekend. Everyone knew I was the HC for another team. Let's not make this awkward please.

 

[uncdrew]

Not a tragic story just very awkward:
DD was asked to pick up on a team and we came to the practice the thursday before the tourney. She hit well in practice and played decent at 1st. We get to the game and she plays out of her mind (Went perfect batting for the weekend, a triple, 3 doubles and a bunch of walks).....After the first game she is batting 4th (i'm just waiting for pissed off parents about this one). Anyways she hits a walk off and I find out that's their first win of the fall. That's when the recruiting started. Coach of the team asking what jersey number she wants, parents doing the same thing to her, while it's flattering and I appreciate them thinking highly of my DD........ I'm the head coach of her team!
I explain that "no we are not interested in leaving the team...... that i run". But it continues the rest of the day Saturday, then first thing in the morning Sunday.
While I love that DD was appreciated and she had a hell of a weekend. Everyone knew I was the HC for another team. Let's not make this awkward please.

Yes, pick-up players and families need to know that it can often lead to offers. And that can be a good thing. But can also be annoying if/when they keep at it.

 

[Strike2]

My Rules for Guesting:
1. Guest player/family does not pay
2. Team provides uniform for guest player
3. Guest player invited to practice in the week leading up to tourney
4. Guest player will bat last in the line-up, each and every game
5. Unless filling a missing position, Guest player will play plenty of innings but probably less than paying players
6. Rules will be shared ahead of time with entire team and guest player/family

That's just how I expect things to work. Whenever someone asks my DD to guest, I ask all these questions. I don't want the other parents mad at me and I want to clearly understand what to expect. I also don't want the other parents mad at the coach. Been there, it sucks for everyone and have long-term repercussions, in some cases.

We'll make our decision to guest or not after you explain to me what your system is. Basically, before you accept ask questions and understand how DD will be used. It may or may not be a good experience if you go in unknown.

I asked similar things, particularly focusing on how much they actually needed DD. If she was there to bolster a lineup more than fill a needed hole, that could be a problem. If she was going to be depth, I wanted to know that up front, especially if there was a longer drive/hotel stay involved. While I don't believe that a guest player should play more than any rostered player, I don't think they must always bat last. While offers to pay were always refused, my contribution of some new game balls always met with approval.

 

[uncdrew]

As far as guest players batting last, I've just seen too much griping, and grudges against teams and coaches that have lasted years when this rule is broken.

Parents suck, as we all know. If guest player bats before Sally, Sally's parents often bad-mouth that coach and team for years to come. Hate to cow-tow to the crappy parents, but when I coached my life was considerably better when guest player batter batted last. Yes, I'm sure better coaches manage it better than I did, and deal with parents better than I did.

There's a reason I decline coaching offers now. Happy to help run a practice, pitch BP, etc. But I won't coach.


Narrator: "He's also not qualified to coach for several reasons"

 

[JayW]

We generally have had good luck guesting. DD is a pitcher and there is a definite shortage of pitching around here in central FL because of the number of teams. DD’s usage depends on how well she pitches, which is certainly fair. She can play IF or OF, so there is usually a place for her when not pitching. She is happy to bat anywhere in the lineup. We don’t guest more than an hour from home so travel is not an issue. And DD would much rather be playing than just hanging out at home.